Devin Williams was primary catalyst for Yankees changing facial hair policy

Devin Williams was primary catalyst for Yankees changing facial hair policy

To the surprise of many, the New York Yankees amended their 50-year-long facial hair policy Thursday, allowing players to wear “well-groomed” beards instead of their strict no-beard militaristic policy implemented in 1976 by the late George Steinbrenner.

According to Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, the discussion about amending the policy has existed for about a decade. But newly-acquired closer Devin Williams was reportedly the catalyst for tipping it over the edge, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

“Williams later relayed the frustration to general manager Brian Cashman, who listened to his points — about how players who feel their best will play their best, about the hypocrisy of a policy implemented to promote clean-cut players applying only to facial hair below the upper lip — and agreed,” Passan’s report said. “Steinbrenner then sat down with Williams, and the moment to push for a facial-hair revolution had arrived.

“The inconsistent application of the policy — from Goose Gossage’s Fu Manchu to later-than-5-o’clock shadows on the faces of Thurman Munson to Andy Pettitte to Roger Clemens — was just the beginning of the argument for change. There were concerns that players might pass up opportunities to play for the Yankees because of an attachment to their beards. Steinbrenner heard the case and Monday discussed with a cast of stars — alumni Ron Guidry, Pettitte and newly minted Hall of Famer CC Sabathia plus current players Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton — how they saw it.

“In the days thereafter, Steinbrenner came away from the conversations convinced: No longer was banning stubble worth the trouble.”

This all came before Williams, 30, had thrown a single pitch donning pinstripes. He was acquired in December for southpaw Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin, hoping to bolster the back of the Yankees’ bullpen amid Clay Holmes‘ departure.

You can’t help but wonder if there were any other players who expressed this same sentiment–publicly or privately–in the past. It will be interesting to see how this new rule is enforced, but it’s cool to see players get to express themselves a little bit more–even if it’s not the “Yankee way” that made the organization so unique.

I’m also interested to see which players–outside of Williams, who Passan said will be “moving forward by not shaving”–let their facial hair flow. Gerrit Cole? Carlos Rodon? Austin Wells? Those are some candidates that come to mind, but I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the team tries to at some point.

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